Heater of fluids



Sept. 28, 1943.

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Patented Sept. 1943' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATER F FLUIDS Marlon w. Barnes, Chicago, 111.; as'signor to Uni: versal Oil Products Company, Chicago, 111:, a corporation of Delaware Application January 26, 1942, Serial N 0. 428,240

The invention relates to an improved form of heater for fluids which is particularly advanta- 4 Claims. (Cl. 122-356) F the interior surface of wall I. A similar bank l6 geous as applied to heating hydrdcarbons to the.

high temperatures required for their thermal or catalytic conversion. The features of the invention will also be found useful in numerous other applications wherein it is desired to heat one or more streams offluid with relatively high rates of heat input.

The heater. herein provided is of the general" type employing a plurality of separately flred cells with tubular fluid conduits disposed adjacent an unfired refractory wall in each cell to receive direct radiant heat on one side fromflames and hot combustion gases passing through.

the cell'and' from the fired wall of the cell over from an inspection of the accompanying dia- F awing and the'following'description thereof.

The drawing represents a cross-sectional elevation'of one specific form of the-heater provided by the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the form of heater here illustrated comprises substantially vertical refractory side walls I and 2, sloping refracto y walls a and 4 extending upwardly and inwardly from walls I and 2 to other vertical refractory 4 each other and from the side walls I and 2, are

provided within the heater and extend from the fluid conduits I5 is located withincell I0 adjacent comprising two rows of horizontally disposed. tubes ll, is located in cell H adjacent the irmer surface of wall 2. Another bank l8, comprising' in the case illustrated a single substantially vertical row of horizontally disposed tubes 19, is located within cell [2 adjacent wall 8 and a simi-. iar bank 20 of tubular fluid conduits 2| is disposed in cell l3 adjacent walla. Another bank 22, com- I prising in-this instance two substantially parallel rows of horizontally dispos'ed tubes 23 is located adjacent and substantially parallel to the sloping wall 3. A similar bank 2'4, comprising two rows of horizontally disposed tubes 25, is located adjacent and substantially parallel to the sloping wall 4. Another tube bank 26, comprising a plurality of superimposed horizontal rows of horizontally disposed tubes 21, is located in the fluid heating zone 28-deflned between walls 5 and 6.

The entire furnace structure is'mounted upon a suitable foundation which, in this instance, comprises a vertical wall 32 disposed beneath each of the walls I, 2, 8, 9 and 3!, a floor 33 disposed beneath and spaced from the refractory floor l and suitable footings, not illustrated.

Burner compartments 36, 31, 38'and 39, individualto the respective combustion and heating zones III, II, l2 and 13 are provided between floors land 33 and between the walls 32. Openings and 58 are provided ineach of the outer foundation walls 82 beneath walls I and 2 and an opening BI is. provided through each of the foundation walls 32=beneath walls 8 and 9.

- A partition 85 separates the space between the foundation walls 82 beneath walls I and 8 and between floors l and 33 into an upper compartfloor to a level adjacent the upper extremity of,

walls l and 2.' Another refractory'interior wall 3| is provided Another separately flred combustion and radi ant heating zone or cell [2 is disposed between walls 8 and 3| and similar separately fired combustion and radiant heating. zone or cell I8 is A bank 14, comprising i the case illustrated two vertical rows (gt-horizontally disposed tubular substantially midway between walls 8 and 8 and ment. which comprises the burner compartment 36 and a lower compartment which communicates with'burner compartment 38. Another partition '85, disposed between the foundation walls 32 which lie beneath walls .2 and 19,- separates the space beneath cell II and between floors l and 33 into an upper compartment which comprises the A horizontal row of burners one of which is indicated at lll, is provided within burner com- Pertinent 36 and these burners communicate with combustion and heating zone In through "firing ports" llprovided in floor 1, adjacent the lower :end of wall 8. 'Fuel is supplied to each of the burners '40 through a line 42 and control valve and air is admitted in regulated amountsto burner compartment 36 through opening 45 by adjustment of a suitable damper 44 provided at the mouth of the opening. The air thus admitted to compartment 36 passes through burners 40 to mix with the fuel and form a combustible mixture which is projected into and burned adjacent the surface of wall 8 within zone It. The flames and hot combustiongases issuing from burners 40 and burner ports 4| are directed upwardly at an angle against and. over the surface of wall 8, heating the latter to a highly radiant condition and direct radiant heat 1 is transmitted from wall 8 and from the flames and hot combustion gases passing thereover to one side of each of the tubes of bank |4. Reflected radiant heat is transmitted from wall I to the opposite side of these tubes.

A flring arrangement similar to that above described, with the elements thereof designated in the drawing by the same reference numerals 40 to 45 inclusive, is provided in burner com- 1 partment 31 for cell II, which is flred independently of cell It and wherein direct radiant heat is transmitted from the hot refractory surface of wall {within this zone and from the flames sion of wall 3| well into the space between the sloping walls 3 and 4, the highly heated opposite surfaces or wall I, adjacent its upper extremity, transmit direct radiant heat to the tubes of banks 22 and 24. Also, by virtue of this extended wall 7 3| and the restricted cross-sectional area'of the and hot combustion gases passing wall 3 to one combustion gases upwardly into zone l2 through.

flring ports 52 provided in floor 1 adjacent the base of wall 3| and between walls 8 and 3|. Fuel is supplied to each of the burners 46 through a line 41, controlled by valve 48, andair ior combustion of the fuel is admitted in regulated amountsto burner compartment 38 through the openings 50 and 5| and the space beneath partition 35. The air thus admitted to compartment 38 passes through burner 46 to mix therein with the fuel and form a combustible mixture containing any desired amount of excess air.

The flames and hot combustion gases projected upwardly through zone |2 from burners 48 and burner ports 52 are directed at an angle against and over the surface of that side of wall 3| facing tube bank i3, heating this surface to a highly radiant condition. Direct radiant heat is thus transmitted from wall 3| and from the flames and hot combustion gases passing thereover to one side of each of the tubes of bank I. and reflected radiant heat is transmitted from wall 8 'to the opposite side of these tubes.-

A flring arrangement similar to that for cell l2 and designated in the drawing by the same reference numerals 43' to 52 inclusive is provided in burner compartment 39 for cell l3. Cell |3 is thus independently fired and radiant heat is transmitted from that surface of wall 3| facing tube bank 20 and from the flames and hot combustio'n gases passing over this surface directly to one side of each of the tubes of bank 23 The ,opposite side of these tubes is heated by reflected radiation from wall 9.

Combustion gases from cells I and I2 'pass upwardly through the space between sloping wall 3 and the central wall 3| and supply heat by radiation and convection to the tubes of bank 22. Sfrilarly, combustion gases from cells II and I3 pass upwardly through the space besupply heat by both radiation and convection t0thetubesofbank24. Byvirhieoftheextencombustion gas passageway between its upper extremity and walls 3 and 4, that portion of tube banks 22 and 24 most remote from the source of the flames and hot bmbustion gasesv (i. e., the upper portions of the tube banks) are washed by combustion gas streams of higher velocity than the streams of combustion gases emerging from the separately fired cells, thereby increasing the component of convective heat transmitted to the upper portion of tube banks 22 and 24 to assist in compensating for the decreased radiant heat component in the upper portion of these banks.

The total combustion gases from zones IO, U,

l2 and I3, after supplying heat to the tubes of banks 22 and 24, pass upwardly through fluid heating zone 28 in intimate contact with the tubes of bank 28 and supply a considerable portion of their residual heat thereto. The combustion gases are thence directed through flue 29 to stack 30.

' By independently firing each of the zones l0,

. I, I2 and I3, entirely independent control is exerted over'the heating conditions obtained in each of these zones, and by virtue of the upwardly extended central wall 3|, independent selection of suitable specific paths of flow for,

control is exerted over the heating conditions prevailing about bank 22 as compared with those prevailing about bank 24. Relatively high rates of heat transmission to the fluid flowing-through the tubes is obtainable in each of these zones and an unusually high degree of flexibility with respect to control over the heating conditions in the several zones is provided in this heater. By

same heat treatment for two or more separate streams of fluid with the heater herein provided.

The inventionis not limited to any speciflc path of flow for the fluid passing through the various tube banks nor to any specific sequence of flow through the several banks. Ordinarily, adjacent tubes in each bank will be connected in seriesat their ends by suitable return bends or headers, not illustrated, but it is also within the scope of the invention to provide for the parallel flow of separate streams of the same or different fluid through two or more of the tube banks and. when desired, all'or various groups of tubes in each or any bankmay be connected for the parallel flow of separate streams'of fluid there through.

It is also within the scope of the invention todispose the individual tubes in any or all tween sloping wall 4 and the central wall 3| and of the various banks adjacentthe side and inwall rather The invention also specifically contemplates the substitution of a single row of tubes for the two row arrangement adjacent. any or all of the walls i, 2, and 4 and, when desired, a two row arrangement similar to that shown adjacent walls I and 2 may be substituted in either or both of the banks It and 20 for the single row arrangement illustrated.

Although the specific form of heater illustrated in the drawing is up-fired with a general upward fiow of combustion gases throughout the heater, it is entirely within the scope of' the invention to invert the furnace structure and fire in a downward direction witha general downward flow of combustion gases through the heater.

As previously mentioned, a-wide variety of advantageous fiow arrangements is possible in the improved form of heater herein provided and may be selected within the skill of one familiar with the art and correlate with the firing conbustion and heating zones to suit requirements.

I claim as my invention: 1. A heater for fluids comprising, in combination, substantially vertical refractory side walls,

a substantially vertical refractory interior wall spaced substantially midway between said side from the. surface of said opposite wall. a combustion'gas discharge passageway and inclined refractory walls extending therefrom to. said sidewalls, and heating tubes adjacent said inclined walls, the first-mentioned interior wall extending beyond the extremities of'the other interior walls into the space between said inclined walls and being fired on its opposite sides whereby to transmit radiant heat directly to the tubes adjacent the inclined walls 3. A heater for fluids comprising, in combination, substantially vertical refractory side and end walls, an odd number of substantially verti-' cal refractory interior walls spaced from each other and from said side walls and disposed in substantially parallel relation to provide therebetween an even number of separate combustion 'ditions employed in the independently fired comwalls, another substantially vertical refractory interior wall spaced from and disposed between each of said side walls and the first named interior I wall, said wall arrangement providing a com combustion gases into said zone and over the surface of said opposite wall in a substantially vertical direction, a combustion gas discharge passageway and inclined refractory walls extending therefrom to said side walls, and heating tubes adjacent said inclined walls, the first-mentioned interior wall extending beyond the extremand radiant heating zones, a substantially vertical banli'of tubular fluid conduits disposed in each of the zones adjacent the surface of one of said refractory walls thereof, refractory sloping walls extending inwardly from said side walls to other vertical refractory walls, a fluid heating zone disposed between thelast named vertical walls and in communication through the space between said sloping walls with each of said combustionand radiant heating zones, a bank of tubular fluid conduits disposed adjacent and substantially parallel to each of said sloping walls, a bank of tubular fluid conduits in said fluid heating zone, means for independently firing each of said separate combustion and heating zones comprising burners disposed adjacent one end of thatre"- fractory wall of each opposite the tube bank disposed therein, for projecting flames and hot combustion gases over the surface of said wall in a I substantially vertical directionfone of said interior walls being disposed substantially midway between the first named sidewalls, being thus fired on opposite sides and extending vertically beyond the other interior walls into the space between said sloping walls, whereby radiant heat is transmitted therefrom to said tube banks adjaities of the other interior walls into the space between said inclined walls and being fired on its opposite sides whereby to transmit radiant heat directly to the tubes adjacent the inclined walls.

2. A heater for fluids comprising, in combination, substantially vertical refractory sidewalls, a substantially vertical refractory interior wall spaced substantially midway between said side walls, another substantially vertical refractory interior wall spaced from and disposed between each of said side walls and the first named interior wall, said wail arrangement providing a combustion and radiant heating zone between each adjacent pair of said walls, a substantially vertical bank of tubular fluid conduits disposed in each of said zones adjacent the surf' e'e of one ofsaid into said zone and over the surface of said opposite wall in a substantially vertical direction. each of the tubular elements of said banks being exposed on one side to direct radiation from the flames and hot combustion ases passing through ,the zone in which it is disposedand heating zones adjacent the surface of one of said refractory walls thereof, means for independently cent the sloping walls, means for directing combustion gases from each of said separate combustion and heating zones through the space between said sloping walls in radiant heat transmitting relation to the tube banks-adjacent the latter, and means for directing combustion gases from the space between said slopin walls through the fluid heating zone in direct contact with the tubular elements of said bank disposed therein.

- 4. A heater for fluids comprising, in combination, substantially vertical refractory side and end walls, a substantially vertical refractory interior wall disposed substantially midway between saidand interior walls, sloping refractory walls extending inwardly and'upwardiy' from the upper extremity of said side walls to other substantially vertical side walls. a fluid heating zone disposed between the last named side walls, a bank of tubular fluid conduits in said fluid heating zone, a bank of tubular fluid conduits disposed adjacent and parallel to each of said sloping walls, a substantially vertical bank-of tubular fluid conduits disposed ineach of said combustion and radiant adjacent 4- 4 V e,sso,1es

the base of that refractory wall of each opposite the tube bank disposed therein, for directing flames and hot combustion gases upwardly over the surface of said wall in direct radiant heat transmitting relation to the tubes of said bank, means for directing combustion gases from said combustion and radiant heating zones through the space between said .sloping walls to supply heat by radiation and convection to the tube banks adjacent the latter, and means for direct- 10 I ing combustion gases from the space between said 8101 3 Walls through said fluid heating zone in direct contact withthe tubular elements of said bank disposed therein, the first mentioned interior wall extending above the upper extremity of the r other interior walls into the space between said sloping walls and being fired on its opposite sides whereby to transmit radiant heat directly to the tube banks adjacent the sloping walls.

' MARION W. BARNES. 

